PACMA, Alianza Verde, Anima Naturalis, Igualdad Animal and Ecologistas en Acción have celebrated the announcement by the Ministry of Culture on the elimination of the National Bullfighting Award, while they have agreed to demand the elimination of “all public subsidies to the sector.”
In statements to Europa Press, PACMA spokesperson, Yolanda Morales, described the elimination of the award as “fair”, although she considered that “it arrives a little late.” “We have spent more than a decade rewarding people who, from our point of view, do not deserve it because what they do is not culture, it is legalized animal abuse,” she criticized.
At the same time, he has defended promoting culture “as long as it benefits a majority and really contributes.” For this reason, he has assured that administrations should eliminate all types of subsidies for bullfighting since “public money should not finance animal abuse.”
The animalist party has also criticized that the announcement occurred in the middle of the election campaign in Catalonia, which is why it has urged the parties to assume a “real” commitment to animal rights and not use “animal suffering” as “electoral bargaining chip.”
Likewise, it has demanded that the amount of the prize (30,000 euros) be used in the rehabilitation of “animal victims of bullfighting” and that the administrations report how much public money is allocated to the activity to “evaluate the viability of its reinvestment in projects in favor of animals”.
For his part, the coordinator of Alianza Verde, Juantxo López de Uralde, has considered that bullfighting “is a bloody spectacle that is only sustained thanks to public aid.” For this reason, he has also advocated the elimination of any type of subsidy.
On the other hand, the AnimaNaturalis campaign coordinator, Cristina Ibañez, stated in statements to Europa Press that the elimination of the award is something “fantastic”, although “it is only a step on the path towards the abolition of this cruel practice.” .
Asked about the reactions of several Autonomous Communities, such as Madrid or Castilla-La Mancha, which have announced that they will create Bullfighting Awards in response to the suppression of the central Government, she pointed out that, in the face of “advances”, she is always ” the other party that fights back.” “The fight is not over,” she defended.
Ibañez is part of the commission promoting a Popular Legislative Initiative (ILP) ‘It is not my culture’ proposed by several animal rights groups and that seeks to obtain half a million signatures to repeal the Law that considers bullfighting intangible cultural heritage.
The promoting commission launched the ILP with the beginning of the new legislature after its promoters waited for the “most favorable possible” political moment and to prevent the long processing process from being interrupted by the possibility of new elections. At the moment, it has already been admitted for processing and in November the collection of signatures will end.
“THIS PARTY CANNOT BE SUBSIDIZED”
Meanwhile, the communications director of Animal Equality, Javier Moreno, has stated that the suppression of this award “has great symbolic power” since, “in general”, the new generations have no interest in this tradition, as reflect “all surveys.” “In the 21st century it is clear that this festival cannot be subsidized with public money, nor does it have to be legitimized with any kind of awards from public administrations,” he stressed.
Likewise, the Coordinator of the Nature Conservation Area of Ecologistas en Acción, Theo Oberhuber, has stated in statements to Europa Press that the decision of the Ministry of Culture is “very appropriate” since “it made no sense” for them to continue granting those awards when “the majority of society has already turned its back on this activity.”
In his opinion, bullfighting “must be disappearing” which is why he has also urged an end to subsidies from the administrations and the broadcasting of bullfights, “another way of trying to artificially maintain the activity and generate income.”